Summer Update

I am so not good at updating this site....."Summer" started, I guess, about 3pm on May 27th! Since then, we have been pretty busy. That Saturday we cleaned out the garage...that was fun, NOT! But it needed to be done, although according to Matthew, it's still not done. However, I must say, to at least make myself feel better, it looks alot better than some garages I have seen!

We went to Point Mallard on Memorial Day...WOW it was crowded! Whenever we do things as a family, I always think of how great it will be when Emma is home to be doing those things with us....and I often wonder, multiple times a day, about what she is doing. And the end of that week was spent decorating my Missions room for VBS; which started on June 7th.

The kiddos had a lot of fun at Saddle Ridge Ranch and I loved the Missions lessons this year. The videos were well-produced and interesting. I'm pretty sure some of those little ones will one day be missionaries, too.

Meredith made the comment yesterday that she was sad for Emma because she will have never known what VBS was like, since she'll be a 6th grader. Meredith is so thoughtful....I know that she will love her big sister very much.

And today, sweet (and sometimes sour) Jing-Jing, commented in the car, "I hope Emma is okay!" It was raining, thundering and lightning alot outside and she was thinking of her big sister.

Also, today, we REJOICE with our friends, Eric and Paige Dorr, and their little Hannah, who welcomed a new baby daughter to their family. God blessed them through adoption! Paige got the call yesterday and they left within a few hours to drive to Jacksonville, FL and met her today! God is so good....it seems that it was not long ago that Paige and I discussed adoption one day at the park back in Feb. 2009...then we attended an adoption seminar in TN w/some other women from our church this past October.

We cannot WAIT to see what God is doing in our congregation, as we pray and believe that more couples will begin their adoption journeys...to defend the orphan..(Is. 1:17) and to practice true religion..(James 1:27)...I believe adoption is 'true religion' because it is an earthly picture of what our Heavenly Father did for us when He made us adopted sons and daughters through His Son, Jesus Christ.....and it is with that Spirit of Adoption we cry, "Abba, Father"...(Rom. 8:15).

We are so excited, too, for my younger sister, Gretchen, and her husband, Andy, and sweet Hollis, as they continue to pursue the adoption of their foster daughter, Aniah. She is the sweetest, cutest baby, born last Nov., and they have been caring for her since that time. So, we pray that His will is done in their family and in Aniah's life.

To Him be the glory!